A turtle in the belly: Helminthoma

Abstract

A helminthoma is an inflammatory tumor of the bowel wall, which results when an intestinal worm or larva penetrates the wall of the gut, usually the cecum or colon. A helminthoma can occur in any country where infestation of the intestinal tract with worms is common. It has been seen most often in West and East Africa and parts of South America. In some parts of West Africa, this disease is well known to villagers, who describe it as having ′a turtle in the belly.′ We report such a case with diagnostic dilemma.

Keywords

• Chronic abscess bowel
• eosinophilic granuloma bowel
• helminthic pseudotumor
• helminthoma
• oesophagostomiasis